In an era too often dominated by dystopian visions and spiritual malaise, James Pethokoukis’s The Conservative Futurist: How to Create the Sci-Fi World We Were Promised emerges as a counterbalance of hope and optimism. His approach has the benefit of being consistent with the past couple hundred years of human history, which has delivered human beings remarkable progress. Pethokoukis, a seasoned economic policy analyst at AEI and a voice of reason in the wilderness of contemporary discourse, embarks on an ambitious mission to realign conservatism with the forward-looking momentum of technological innovation.
To some, “conservative futurism” will ring oxymoronic; but the future Pethokoukis is eager—“faster, please” —to usher in is conservative in the sense that it seeks to respect individual liberty and the free market and, following Burke’s vision of society as a “multigenerational partnership,” extend our moral and social concern concern to our children and grandchildren.
Resisting the stereotype that conservatism is inherently backward-looking or resistant to change, Pethokoukis’ conservatism centers individual liberty in the quest for progress. His project has much in common with Hayek’s, especially in the latter’s memorable essays “The Use of Knowledge in Society” and, ironically, “Why I Am Not a Conservative” (the meaning of the term has evolved: what Pethokoukis seeks to conserve is not natural hierarchies and the status quo, but classical liberalism, which increasingly finds itself under threat).
Pethokoukis opens his case by transporting readers back to a Golden Age of time gone by. From the moon landings to remarkable breakthroughs in medicine and energy, much of the 20th century, led by the US, was a testament to human ingenuity and ambition. But this audacity has waned over the decades, Pethokoukis argues, giving way to what he terms the “Great Downshift.” This period has been marked by a retreat from the frontier of innovation, shadowed by an increasing apprehension towards the future. A combination of fear, nostalgia for a simpler past, and a fixation on potential catastrophes has crowded out the once ubiquitous optimism, Pethokoukis alleges. This shift not only reflects a change in societal mood but also signals a deeper malaise—a loss of faith in progress itself.
The antidote to this reigning pessimism, Pethokoukis urges, is “Up Wingism.” If Down Wingers are pessimistic about the future and seek to resist it, Up Wingers are optimistic about it and seek to embrace it. Up Wingers want to bring about technological and economic innovation and hope to create a futuristic, sci-fi world. Their views are characterized by a belief in the potential for continuous improvement and solving problems through innovation. Down Wingers, on the other hand, focus on the potential risks and downsides of technological and economic growth.
Coursing through Pethokoukis’s book is a fundamentally Up Wing view of technology and economic growth as indispensable forces for good. His prose is imbued with an infectious energy, challenging readers to shed their cynicism and embrace a future limited only by our imagination. From terraforming Mars to curing diseases with nanotechnology, Pethokoukis argues, technology powered by economic growth is our saving grace. Of course, these forces are not unalloyed goods. Pethokoukis acknowledges the significant challenges and disruptions that come with rapid innovation but argues that they are surmountable with the right mindset and policies.
To harness the benefits of innovation and minimize its harms, Pethokoukis contends, requires major shifts in culture and policy. On the cultural front, we need to embrace a fundamentally Up Wing perspective, one that welcomes technological progress while remaining sensitive to its downsides. On the policy front, Pethokoukis sketches a blueprint for a future that broadly aligns with the ambitious visions of science fiction, championing the dynamic force of the free market and the spirit of innovation, entrepreneurship, and risk-taking that fuel it. To unleash the full potential of technology and economic growth requires smart, pro-growth economic policies. The solution, Pethokoukis emphasizes, is not no government but smart government, which works to create an environment conducive to competition and innovation and, in areas such as basic science research, plays an active role in promoting progress.
The Conservative Futurist’s timing is impeccable, as it addresses issues at the forefront of technological advancement, such as AI, space exploration, and biotechnology. Standing out as a beacon of hope and optimism in a time of anxiety and skepticism, the book offers a refreshing perspective on our current debates surrounding technology, policy, and the future of humanity. Pethokoukis’s insights encourage us to imagine a world defined by human flourishing and boundless possibility, urging us all to take the helm of our future.
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